Brent is a full Professor and Chair of Food and Process Systems Engineering at The University of Auckland.

He is the Chair of the Food and Health Programme at the University and Director of the Industrial Information and Control Centre. He was Head of Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering for two consecutive terms from 2012 to 2018.

Brent has a BE and PhD in Chemical and Process Engineering from the University of Canterbury and 30+ years postgraduate experience in academia and consulting in Australia, Canada and NZ.

A Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers UK and Engineering NZ he was the recipient of the 2014 Caltex Australasian Award of Excellence in Chemical Engineering (Teaching).

His research and teaching experience and expertise centres on two major areas:

1. Process modelling, simulation and control.
2. Process development and design, with process and food applications.

He has published more than 200 refereed publications and is a co-author of two teaching texts in process control.